In Jotun, you play Thora, a Norse warrior who has died an inglorious
death and must face the challenges of Viking purgatory to prove herself
to the Gods and enter Valhalla.

Jotun's core loop revolves around collecting Runes to summon and fight the jotun, gigantic Norse elementals.
The game focuses on the balance between atmospheric
exploration and ferocious combat. Imagine the mysterious romantic mood
of Journey mixed with the scale of the boss fights in Shadow of the
Colossus in top-down 2D.

The world is randomly-generated and filled with different areas to explore and environmental puzzles to solve. Traveling to the far reaches of Purgatory is key to finding Runes, Shrines to the Gods and many more Viking mysteries.

The combat in Jotun is fast-paced and brutally hard. Using only your massive two-handed axe, you take on foes that are hundreds of times your size. Every hit from a jotun's attack will take out a huge chunk of your health.

Features:

Beautiful 2D hand-drawn art style

Epic boss fights against the mighty jotun

A vast and mysterious randomly-generated world to explore filled with environmental puzzles based in Viking culture and mythology

An overarching story to discover for both Thora and Purgatory itself

Shrines to the Viking Gods

An amazing musical score, specifically composed for every gameplay moment

WOW, we were Greenlit in under 6 days!!!

Which means we'll be on:

Jotun's gameplay is a love letter to classic games such as The Legend of Zelda. It has simple controls, action-packed boss fights and a mythic Viking world to discover. Jotun is not a "hack-and-slash" RPG. We prefer to avoid numbers and text when possible: there are no experience points and few stats. Like the Vikings, you must prove your valor to the Gods using only your wits and your skill in combat.

Controls

Jotun can be played with a keyboard or a gamepad. Your basic actions are attack, move and dodge. You control Thora from a top-down perspective and can explore the world in any direction. Thora has both a fast and a "charge-up" attack; the attack's power is determined by how long you hold the attack button. Dodging is crucial to avoiding traps and incoming attacks from the mighty jotun.

Combat

Inspired by the mechanics of The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls, the combat in Jotun is fast-paced and organic. Fighting the jotun requires the ability to dodge projectiles, use proper positioning and attack at the right moment. The jotun have several attacks and defenses. Recognizing them is key to executing your strategy. When in combat, the camera zooms out to give you a full view of the battlefield.

More details on combat:

Jotun's music is core to the game's experience. Every gameplay moment is
accompanied by an appropriate piece. Whether it's a fight against the
mighty Frost Jotun or a peaceful contemplation of a beautiful vista, the
music is an integral part of Jotun's mood, atmosphere and experience.

"When the prospect of writing the music for Jotun came along, I was filled with excitement at the idea of putting the vast universe Thora will explore during her journey into song. The characters, landscapes and story behind Jotun have already inspired many musical themes that I can't wait to bring to life!" - Max LL

We chose Kickstarter because we want to involve you in the development process. We want your feedback, comments and critiques. Whether you love or hate Jotun, we want to know why. We want to build a community of passionate people all rooting for the same cause. We want you on board with us for the entire journey!

Jotun was born from our love of mythology and epic literature. From Greek mythology to Beowulf, we've always had a fascination for centuries-old stories. Jotun is a tribute to Viking mythology and to
classic, honest gaming. We are a passionate and experienced team who can bring the game to fruition. We hope that you'll join us, connect with the game and that you'll enjoy your time with the Jotun family!

Our goal is to
reach alpha within six months, beta within nine months and full launch within twelve months.
Therefore Jotun will be released in September 2015.

Risks and challenges

There is inherent risk in backing a project in its infancy. Jotun is no longer a helpless new-born baby, but it needs your help to mature into a walking, talking entity. This is not a "fund our last month of development before we release the game anyways" project. This campaign is an "all or nothing" shot at making something that we think is great. We want you there with us from the start to influence the game's content and design.

Ultimately, video game development is extremely complex. The key to surviving this process is experience, proper scope and hard work. We know that, with your support, we can make Jotun truly great.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge CA$ 100 or more
About $93

High resolution "vikingified" digital sketch of yourself signed by the Jotun team, digital game guide including behind the scenes and "making of", your name as Producer in the credits + all previous rewards!